X 551 
N55 
L922a 
iopy 1 



Good Nutrition 

and 

Adequate Food Allowances 
for the Family 



Prepared by the 
Committee on Economic Standards 
of the New York Nutrition Council 



A Method for Determining 

an 

Adequate Minimum Food Allowance 

with 

Fifteen Points for the Social Worker 

Who Has to Deal with Nutrition 

Problems 



Prepared by the 

Committee on Economic Standards 
of the New York Nutrition Council 



First Edition Jvine, 1922 

Second Edition - October, 1922 



Issued by the New York Nutrition Council, the Brooklyn Bureau 

of Charities, the Charity Organization Society of New York, 

the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the 

Poor, and the United Hebrew Charities of New York 



Copyrighted by the New York Nutrition Council, 1922 






Foreword 

The relation of nutrition to health is being more clearly recog- 
nized each day. Organizations dealing with public health prob- 
lems or organizations dealing with relief problems — indeed any 
organizations that deal with family problems — cannot longer 
afford to be haphazard in their information about suitable food 
for children of different ages and for adults under varying con- 
ditions. It is particularly important to be specific in the amount 
of money allowed in relief budgets. Because of the increasing 
demands for practical information which would be helpful to such 
organizations, the New York Nutrition Council created a Com- 
mittee on Economic Standards of Nutrition. This committee 
has put together in the following pages information which should 
be in the hands of all executives and field workers of public health 
and relief organizations. It undertakes to answer in simple 
terms the question of diet suitable for children of different ages, 
how to determine the cost of such a diet, and simple nutrition 
facts that every social worker should know. 

BAILEY B. BURRITT, 

President, New York Nutrition Council 



mil mi ©C1A6S9049 



An Adequate Minimum Food 
Allowance 

Every organization as well as every individual dealing with the 
welfare of children should, for its most effective work, understand 
the economic problems involved in the families from which they 
come. 

The food expenditure, the largest item in the budget, is of vital 
importance, for the health of the family, especially its nutrition, 
is very closely related to the food supply. If the money spent 
for food, or the money the family can afford to spend for food, is 
inadequate, the children are in danger of malnutrition, tubercu- 
losis, and other diseases throughout childhood and perhaps they 
may be handicapped for life. This condition must be discovered 
and if possible some means found of relieving it before much per- 
manent good can be accomplished. Otherwise the best nutrition 
program will involve much wasted energy. 

If the income is adequate with reasonable economy, but sug- 
gestions beyond the family purse are thoughtlessly given, such 
suggestions can meet only with failure. With a better under- 
standing of the economic factor, especially the minimum for 
safety, our work would be far more effective. 

In any welfare work, and especially in relief organizations, it 
is important to know what a minimum food allowance is. Where 
money is donated to any organization to provide food for families 
needing assistance, that organization wants to make the best 
possible use of those funds by helping as many families as possible. 
An allowance of even one cent more per person per meal than is 
necessary will increase the budget of the organization by at least 
$10,000 for every 150 families helped. 

How can we be sure that the allowance is adequate, yet a 
minimum below which any family may be in danger ? 

The New York Nutrition Council, feeling the need for some 
control of this oft-neglected factor, appointed a committee to 
formulate a satisfactory method for calculating adequate mini- 
mum food allowances. There were two active sub-divisions, to 
this committee. 

Sub-Division I To standardize the method for deter- 
mining the minimum adequate food 
allowance in terms of dollars and cents. 

Sub-Division II To reduce to its simplest terms, the 
information with which social workers 
who deal with the health of children 
should be familiar. 



A Method for Determining the Minimum 
Adequate Food Allowance 

The method as worked out is divided into three steps as fol- 
lows: 

1 Economical diets which will provide adequate nourishment. 

2 Determining an average price for each food with the cal- 

culation of the costs of the diets in 1. 

3 Calculation of weekly food allowances for individuals of 

different ages. 

Step 1 — Economical Diets: Diets making provision for the 
proper amounts of protein, fats, mineral elements, vitamines, 
and the correct number of calories from the most economical 
sources were formulated. In these diets, the foods suggested 
represent the type of food and the amount of that type re- 
quired for adequate nutrition. The kind of vegetable, cereal, 
fruit, fat or meat will vary according to the custom of any 
given nationality. The diets suggested are as follows: 

*Weekly Diet for Children Under 2 

(900-1200 CALORIES) 

Food, quantity and Calories apply to all nationalities. The costs should be 
revised according to location and season and to admit the use of higher priced 
foods used by some nationalities; for example, sweet butter for salt in the 
Jewish diets. 

Food Quantity Calories Cost in New York 

March, 1922 

Revise to Meet 

Individual Needs 

Milk 7 qts. 4725 $1.05 

Eggs 3—4 240 .12 

Butter 2 oz. 435 .053 

Fruit 12 oz. 350 .10 

Vegetables 1 lb. 140 .09 

Bread (1 ^ slices a 

day) 1 lb. 1200 .08 

Cereal (dry) 8 oz. 800 .036 

7890 Calories $1,529 
1127 Calories daily $ .19 per 1000 Calories 

*A11 diets approved by Dr. Mary S. Rose of Teachers' College. 

The following allowances for milk were made: For children under 2 years 1 quart a day; for 
children from 2-5 years of age, K of a quart a day. A quart is allowed for children from 12-16 
years old because this is a period of very rapid growth. It was decided to allow bottled milk 
for all children under 5 years of age and for drinking for older children. Loose milk is recom- 
mended for cooking when the financial situation is such that bottled milk cannot be provided, 
Loose milk should in all cases be heated before being used. 



Weekly Diet for Children 2—5 Yrs. 

(1000-1500 CALORIES) 

Food Quantity Calories Cost 

Revise to Meet 
Individual Needs 

Milk 3^—5 qts. 3375—2362 $ .75—$ .53 

Eggs 3—4 240— 240 .12— .12 

Butter 2—3^ oz. 436— 764 .053— .093 

Fruit (fresh or / 2 — 3 oranges 

dried, some I or 

every day) .-....) 2—3 apples y ^^q_ ^qq _q^j^_ q^q 

plus 
2 — 3 oz. dried 
fruit 
Vegetables 

Green or Root.... 1—2 lbs. 140— 200 .09— .18 

Potatoes 2—2^ lbs. 600— 760 .08— .10 

Bread 1—2 lbs. 1200—2400 .08— .16 

Cereal 7—14 oz. 700—1400 .032— .063 

Legumes 1—2 oz. 100— 200 .007— .OH 

Sugar 0—6 oz. 0— 680 .018 

7141—9506 Cal. $1.236— 1.31^. 
1021—1358 Calories daily $ .173— .H per 1000 Calories 



Weekly Diet for Children 5—12 Yrs. 

(1300—2400 CALORIES) 

*Milk 3i qts. 2363—2363 $ .53—$ .53 

*Eggs.. 3 225— 225 .09— .09 

Meat or Fish 0—1 lb. 0— 600 .185 

*Fat 3^ oz.— 1 lb. 764—3600 .093— .335 

2 — 3 oranges 
or 

Fr^it - ; 2— 3 apples y 500—750 .096— .12 

plus 
3 — 5 oz. dried 
fruit 
Vegetables 

Green or Root 2—4 lbs. 200— 650 .18 — .28 

Potatoes 2—3 lbs. 608— 912 .08 — .12 

Legumes 8b Cheese.„... 2—6 oz. 200— 600 .027— .081 

Bread 2—3^ lbs. 2400—4200 .16 — .28 

Cereal 12—20 oz. 1200—2000 .051f — .09 

Sugar 6—8 oz. 680— 907 .019— .025 

9140—16807 Cal. $1.329— $2,136 

1306 — 2401 Calories daily $ .H5 — .127 per 1000 Calories 



*Increase milk to 7 qts. when can be afforded. 
Eggs may be omitted when too expensive. 
Fat may be reduced from 1 lb. to 5 or f lb. 



Weekly Diet for Children 12—16 Yrs. 

(1900—3500 CALORIES) ^^^^ 

Food Quantity Calories Revise to Meet 

Individual Needs 

Milk._ 3^—7 qts. 2363—4725 $ .53 —$ .56* 

*Eggs 4 300— 300 .13 — .12 

Meat and Fish 1—2 lbs. 600—1200 .18 — .37 

Fat 12 oz.— 1 lb. 2700—3600 .251— .335 

2 — 3 oranges 
or 

^'■"^* ^ 2-3 apples ^ 5oo_ ^^^ ^^g_ ^^ 

3 — 5 oz. dried 
fruit 
Vegetables 

Green or Root 2^—4 lbs. 300— 650 .21 — .28 

Potatoes- - 2i— 6 lbs. 760—1824 .10 — .2^ 

Legumes 85 Cheese 4 — 8 oz. 400— 800 .05^ — .108 

Bread 2^— 4| lbs. 3000—5400 .20 — .36 

Cereal and Flour 1—2^ lbs. 1600—4000 .072— .18 

Sugar 8 oz.— f lb. 907—1360 .025— .037 

13430-24609 Cal. $1.838— $2,710 

1918—3515 Calories daily $ .137— .11 -per 1000 Calories 

*The seeming discrepancy in this slight difference in milk cost is due to use of 

some loose milk in cooking for older children. 
Eggs may be omitted when too expensive. 

Weekly Diet for Children over 16 and Adults 

(2500—3500 CALORIES) 

Milk 3^ qts. 2363—2363 $ .53 —$ .53 

*Eggs 4 300— 300 .12 — .12 

Meat and Fish 1^—2 lbs. 900—1200 .27 — .37 

Fat 12 oz.— 1 lb. 2700—3600 .251— .335 



{3 oranges ") 

.< 1 apple V 

(. 5 oz. dried fruit / 



Fruit -^ 1 apple } 750— 750 .12 — .12 

Vegetables 

Green or Root 2^ — 4 lbs. 300 — 650 .21 — .28 

Potatoes 5—7 lbs. 1520—2128 .20 — .28 

Legumes and Cheese.. 6 — 8 oz. 600 — 800 .081 — .108 

Bread 2^—4^ lbs. 3000—5400 .20 — .36 

Cereal and Flour 2^— 3^ lbs. 4000—5600 .18 — .25 

Sugar 12 oz.— 1 lb. 1360—1814 .037— .05 

17793-24605 Cal. $2.199— $2,803 
2542 — 3515 Calories daily $ .12^-$ .113 per 1000 Calories 
*Eggs may be omitted when too expensive. 

Collection of Food Prices 

Step 2 — In order that the food prices used in calculating cost 
of diets may represent a fair average, it is necessary to collect 
prices from various sections of the city. A following standard 
form for the collection of prices is suggested : 



Collection of Food Prices 
Table I 

Standard Form for Collecting Food Prices 



District 

Date 

Food Quantity Price 

DAIRY PRODUCTS 

Milk-Grade B Per qt. 

" Loose " " 

Cheese American " lb 

" Cottage " " 

Eggs Fresh " doz 

" Storage " " 

CEREALS AND BREAD 

Bread (white) Per loaf 

(Give No. ounces) 
Bread (rye) " " 

(Give No. ounces) 

Barley — whole Per lb 

Commeal " " 

Farina " pkge 

(Give No. ounces) 

Flour " 3^ lbs. 

Hominy (loose) " lb ..- 

Macaroni " " 

" pkge. 

(Give No. ounces) 
Oatmeal " box 

(Give No. ounces) 

Oatmeal (loose) " lb 

Rice " " - 

Wheatena " pkge 

VEGETABLES 
Roots and Tubers 

Beets Per lb 

Carrots (old) " " 

Onions (yellow) " " 

Potatoes (white) " " 

Potatoes (white) Per pk 

Potatoes (sweet) " lb. 

Turnips (yellow) " " -- 

Green Vegetables 

Cabbage Per lb 

Spinach " peck 

String beans " lb 

Other green veg. in season 
Dried Vegetables 
Beans 

Kidney Per lb 

Lima " " 

Lentils " " 

Peas 

Green " " 

Yellow (split) " " 



Visitor 

Food Quantity Price 

Caiuied Vegetables 

Com Per can 

Peas " " -. 

Spinach " " 

Tomatoes " " 

Other Vegetables in season 

Beans (fresh) Per lb. 

Peas (fresh) " " 

Tomatoes " " 

FRUITS 
Fresh 

Apples Per lb. 

Bananas " doz 

Oranges " " 

Other fruit 

Dried 

Apricots Per lb. 

Figs " " 

Primes " " 

Raisins (seeded) " " 

" pkge 

FATS 

Butter Per lb. 

Lard " " 

Mazola Oil " pt. 

Nut Butter " lb 

Oleomargarine " " 

Wesson Oil " pt. 

MEATS 

Beef (Hamburg) Per lb. 

Liver " " — 

Soup Bone " " 

Stewing " " 

FISH 

Cod Fish Per lb 

Haddock " " - 

Other fish in season 
MISCELLANEOUS 

Cocoa Per lb 

Coffee " " 

Molasses " " 

Sugar " " 

Tea " " 

SPECIALS TO FIT INDIVIDUAL 

NEEDS 



Any organization wishing to revise this food schedule to fit its 
own needs should collect prices from several sections of the city 
in which the organization is located (six sections for New York 
City are suggested). Eliminating extreme prices, the average of 
prices collected should give a fair figure upon which to base con- 
clusions. These figures collected and studied every three months 
will help to determine whether or not the food schedule should be 
revised. These average prices applied to the diets will give the 
cost of food for the different age groups, as follows: 

Age Cost -per Week, in New York, March, 1922 

Children under 2 $1.53 

Children from 2 to 5 $1.2k—1.31 

Children from 5 to 12 1.33— 2. H 

Children from 12 to 16 1.8^—2.71 

Adults over 16 2.20—2.80 

Calculation of Individual Food Allowances 

Step 3 — Figures for each individual child are, however, much 
fairer than a range in cost for the various age groups as given 
above. From the cost of the diets for children from 2 to 5, 5 to 
12, 12 to 16, and with the calories provided by the diet, the cost 
per 1000 calories may be obtained and from these figures may be 
calculated costs for each individual child. The cost per 1000 
calories may be obtained as follows: (See diets on pages 4, 5, 6). 

Age in years Calories provided Cost per wk. Cost per 

by suggested diet ( N. Y ., March, 1000 Calories 
per wk. 1922) (cents) 

Children under 2 7890 $1.53 19.0 

Children from 2 to 5 7141— 9506 $1.2^-1.31 17.3— 1^.0 

Children from 5 to 12. 9140—16807 1.33— 2. H H.5—12.7 

Children from 12 to 16 13430—24609 1.8^-2.71 13.7—11.0 

Adults over 16 17793—24605 2.20—2.80 12.^-11.3 

From the cost of the food of these various age groups may be de- 
ducted the cost per 1000 calories for children of each age as follows : 

Table II 

Cost per 1000 Calories for Children of each Age, New York City, 
March, 1922 
Age Cost Age Cost 

Under 2 years $ .19 9—10 $ .14 

2— 3 18 10—11 13 

3— 4 17 11—12 13 

4 — 5 16 12—13 13 

5— 6 15 13—14 12 

6— 7 14 14—15 12 

7— 8 14 15—16 12 

8—9 14 Over 16 and adults 12 

These figures will vary with season, location and from year to year. They 
should be revised to suit individual needs. 

The cost per 1000 calories in Table II, multiplied by calories for 
individuals of different ages, give the food allowances for each 
child. These food allowances are given in Table III. 



Table III 

Food Allowances for the Family 

Revise to Suit Individual Needs 
Boys 



March, 1922 



Age 
Years 


Per Week 
A B 


Per Month 
A B 


Calories* 


Under 2 


Min. Extra 
Nour. 

$1.20— $1.60 
1.25— 1.65 
1.30— 1.65 
1.35— 1.70 
1.35— 1.70 
1.35— 1.70 
1.A5— 1.75 
1.55— 1.85 
1.65— 1.95 
1.75— 2.00 
1.90— 2.20 
2.10— 2.^5 
2.10— 2.k5 
2.20— 2.60 
2.25— 2.75 


Min. Extra 
Nour. 

$5.20— $6.95 
5.W— 7.15 
5.65— 7.15 
5.85— 7.35 
5.85— 7.35 
5.85— 7.35 
6.25— 7.60 
6.70— 8.00 
7.15— 8.h5 
7.60— 8.65 
8.25— 9.55 
9.10—10.60 
9.10—10.60 
9.55—11.20 
9.75—11.90 


900—1200 


2 — 3 


1000—1300 


3 — 4 


1100—1400 


4— 5 


1200—1500 


5— 6 - 


1300—1600 


6— 7 - 


1400—1700 


7 — 8 


1500—1800 


8 — 9 


1600—1900 


9 — 10 


1700—2000 


10 — 11 


1900—2200 


11 — 12 


2100—2400 


12 — 13 


2300—2700 


13—14. 

14 — 15 


2500—2900 
2600—3100 


15—16.- 


2700—3300 



Men and Boys Over 16 Years 

Hard Muscular work $3.35 $U.50 4000 

Mod. Hard Muse, work 2.50— $2.95 10.85— $12.80 3000—3500 

Light Muscular work..._ 2.10— 2.50 9.10— 10.85 2500—3000 

Elderly Men 2.10— 2.50 9.10— 10.85 2500—3000 



Girls 



Under 2. 

2— 3... 

3— 4._. 

4— 5.... 

5— 6... 

6— 7.... 

7— 8... 

8— 9... 
9—10... 

10-11... 
11—12... 
12—13... 
13-14... 
14—15... 
15—16... 



Age 
Years 



Per Week 
A B 



$1.20- 
1.25- 
1.25- 
1.30- 
1.30- 
1.30- 
1.35- 
H5- 
1.50- 
1.50- 
1.60- 
1.65- 
1.65- 
1.70- 
1.80- 



-$1.60 

- 1.60 

- 1.60 

- 1.60 

- 1.60 

- 1.60 

- 1.65 

- 1.70 

- 1.80 

- 1.80 

- 1.85 

- 1.95 

- 1.95 

- 1.95 

- 2.05 



Per Month 
A B 



$5.20— 
5.i0- 
5.h0- 
5.65- 
5.65- 
5.65- 
5.85- 
6.30- 
6.50- 
6.50 
6.95- 
7.15- 
7.15- 
7.35- 
7.80 



$6.95 
6.95 
6.95 
6.95 
6.95 
6.95 
7.15 
7.35 
7.80 
7.80 
8.25 
8.h5 
8.1t5 
8.h5 
8.90 



Calories'* 



900- 
980- 
1060- 
1140- 
1220- 
1300- 
1380- 
1460- 
1550- 
1650- 
1750- 
1850- 
1950- 
2050- 
2150- 



-1200 
-1280 
-1360 
-1400 
-1520 
-1600 
-1680 
-1760 
-1850 
-1950 
-2050 
-2150 
-2250 
-2350 
-2450 



*These Calories are based on those compiled from various sources by L. H. 
Gillett, as reported in Food Allowances. 



Women and Girls Over 16 Years 

Hard Muscular work.. $2.50 $10.85 3000 

Mod. Hard Muse, work 2.10 — $2.25 9.10 — $9.75 2500 — 2700 

Light Muscular work 1.85 — 2.10 8.00 — 9.10 2200 — 2500 

Elderly Women 1.85 — 2.10 8.00 — 9.10 2200—2500 

Illustration of this step: 

Calories allowed for children imder 2 years of age, 900 — 1200. 
Cost per 1000 calories for a child under 2, 19 cents. 

To get the cost per day, multiply 900 — 1200 by 19 — $ .17 — .228. 

To get thecostper week, multiply these last figures by 7 — $1.20 — $1.60. 

To get the cost per month, multiply cost per week by 4 5 (Average 
number of weeks per month) — $5.20 — $6.93. 

The A, or Minimutn Food Allowance 

The A, or minimum allowance, below which amount the health 
of any family will be in danger is planned to provide adequate 
nourishment when the family is in good physical condition, where 
the mother is intelligent and has a fair knowledge of food values 
so that every dollar is spent to the best advantage, or where there 
is supervision of the expenditures by a nutrition worker. It is a 
common experience to find that families frequently get on better 
on the lower allowance with supervision than on a higher allow- 
ance without supervision. 

The B, or Extra Nourishment Allowance 

The B allowance is 25-30% higher than the A allowance and 
provides for extra nourishment in cases of malnutrition, tuber- 
culosis, or other conditions where extra nourishment is needed. 
The B allowance is also recommended in all cases where there is 
no supervision. Where the B allowance is used for the minimum, 
increase these figures by 25% to provide for cases needing extra 
nourishment. 

In cases of special diets where the B allowance is not sufficient, 
allow the cost of the diet. 

Special conditions have been provided for by a list of qualifica- 
tions as follows: 

Qualifications of Food Allowances 

1. Person living alone: The A allowance for light muscular 

work plus 50%, as it costs more to live alone. 

2. Tubercular person living alone : The B allowance for light 

muscular work plus 50%. 

3. Two adults living alone: The B allowance for light mus- 

cular work plus 50%. 

4. Woman and one child: Add to woman living alone the B 

allowance for one child. 



10 



5. Family of three: Allow B allowance in all cases. 

6. Family of six to eight inclusive: Subtract 5% because of 

large size of family. 

7. Family of nine and over: 10% reduction because of size 

of family. 

8. Expectant mother: The B allowance. 

9. Nursing mother: Increase woman's allowance by 50%. 

10. Children under one and not breast fed : in accordance with 

formula. 

11. Deduct I of the allowance for adults eating lunches away 

from home. Add 25c-35c per day in column in budget 

planned for lunches. 

or 
Deduct 5c per day for lunches for adults when part of lunch 
is taken from home, and add 15c-20c for remainder of lunch. 

12. Use B allowance for more nourishment. 

13. For special diet allow actual cost of diet. 

The Family Grocery Order 

As a check on the figures given, a family grocery order is con- 
venient. It may also be useful in helping families to spend their 
food money to good advantage. The grocery order given in 
Table IV is for a family of five consisting of man, woman and 
three children below working age. 

Table IV 
Suggested Minimum Grocery Order for Family of Five 

Consisting of: 

Father 3000 calories 

Mother 2500 

Boy 13 years 2700 

Girl 10 years- 1650 

Boy 7 years 1500 

11350 calories daily — 79450 calories weekly 

The food suggested here is adequate for and applicable to all nationalities. 
Change costs to fit any locality or national custom. 

Food Quantity Calories Cost in New York 

City, March, 1922 

Milk._ 21 qts. 14175 $2.66 

Cheese or peanut butter.- \ lb. 1000 .165 

Eggs i— 1 doz. 900 .27 

Meat or Fish._ 5—7 lbs. 4200 1.11 

*Fat 3^ lbs. 12600 1.17 

Fruit - 6 lbs. 

Dried.. 2 lbs. 2320 .SU 

Fresh 4 lbs. 1000 .Itl 

(A bananas-1 lb.") 
<4 oranges- 1 lb. > 
v4 apples-2 lbs. j 
*Fat includes sweet or salt butter, nut butter, margarines or oils. 



11 



Food Quantity 

Vegetables 33 lbs. 

Green or Root L.....11 lbs. 

Potatoes 20 lbs. 

Legumes 2 lbs. 

Bread 12 lbs. 

Cereals and Flour 9 lbs. 

/ Flour 3 J lbs. 
\ Cereals 5^ lbs. 
Sugar 3—4 lbs. 6350 .175 



Calories 


C 


ost 


in New York 




C 


ty. 


March, 1922 


1650 






$ .77 


6080 






.80 


3200 






.22 


14400 






.96 


14400 






.60 



82275 $9,650 

Estimate of need 79450 calories weekly. 
Calories supplied, 82275. 

The extra allowance is on the side of safety where 
there are rapidly growing children and also allows for 
waste. 

The foods are in the right proportion to provide an adequate 
amount of calories, protein, fat, mineral elements and vitamines. 
The cost of this order in New York City, March, 1922, is $9.65. 
As a check, calculate the amount of money necessary to provide 
food for a family of this size as given in Table III. 

Man $2.50 

Woman..._ 2.10 

Boy 13 2.10 

Girl 10 ... 1.50 

Boy 7 1.45 

Total $9.65 

It would seem then that $9.65 arrived at in two ways is an adequate food 
allowance for a family of five — New York City, March, 1922. 

These figures in Table III may soon be either too high or too 
low according to cost of food, but they may be revised by any 
organization by following the preceding plan. 

This report is to show how to arrive at an adequate food allow- 
ance but not to determine an inflexible figure. The figures will 
change with location, with the season, with nationality, and from 
year to year, but by following the method here given, it is possible 
for any organization to revise or to prepare its own food schedule. 

Make the Food Allowances Adequate 



12 



II 

The Simple Facts in Nutrition which Every Social 

Worker Should Know 

There is danger of malnutrition even with an adequate food 
allowance. The food must be of the right kind as well as suf- 
ficient in quantity. There must be plenty of milk, vegetables 
and fruit as well as enough bread and cereal to ensure an adequate 
energy supply, and to make the children strong and healthy. A 
diet chosen at random or in accordance with one's appetite may 
or may not be satisfactory. Scientists have shown the relation- 
ship between health and certain types of foods. These foods 
must be eaten if we expect our children to be in good health and 
nutrition. 

A second section of the Economic Standard Committee has 
formulated these outstanding facts for the use of the social worker 
who has to deal with children, especially with the home life or 
health conditions. 



Fifteen Points to Help the Social Worker with the 
Nutrition Problem 

The Nutritional State of Every Child Should be Determined by 
Periodic Physical Examinations 

I. Fresh, clean, whole milk should be a prominent part of 
the daily diet of every child. Each child should have 
never less than a pint of milk a day, and a quart where 
possible. A quart, always for the undernourished and 
the younger children. 

It is not necessary to drink, the whole quart. Some 
of it may be taken in the form of cocoa, cream soups, 
simple desserts, etc. 

II. At least two vegetables a day for every child (Be sure 
every child eats his share). One (or two) vegetables in 
addition to potatoes should be eaten every day. Leaf 
vegetables should be used at least two or three times a 
week. On the other four or five days, any other vege- 
table may be used in addition to the potato. 

Do not use soda in the cooking of vegetables. 

Vegetables are abundant and relatively inexpensive 
in summer. When the supply is more limited in winter 



13 



increase potatoes and suggest beets, cabbage, car- 
rots, celery, canned tomatoes, escarolle, kale, onions, 
squash, and turnips or other inexpensive ones. 
Spinach and lettuce are frequently found in the city 
in winter at a low cost. (Rice and macaroni are not 
substitutes for potatoes.) 

III. Fruit should be used (as a part of a meal) at least once 
every day whenever it can be afforded. When fruit is too 
expensive, insist on a third vegetable every day. Dried 
fruits are valuable but do not take the place of fresh fruit 
or vegetables. 

All young children and any one whose chief article 
of food is milk should have Fresh Fruit or Tomato juice 
ecery day. 

IV. Meat is much less important than milk, fruits, and vege- 
tables, and is more expensive. These foods should not be 
sacrificed for the sake of meat although a little meat is not 
undesirable. Meat should be limited to one meal a day 
and to three or four times a week is better. 

V. Cereals should be used daily. Served with milk, they are 
good either for breakfast or supper. They may be put 
into soups, or made into simple puddings, such as rice, 
farina, or cornstarch. 

The ready-to-eat-cereals are expensive, but may be 
used occasionally to lend variety to the diet. They 
should not be used more than once or twice a week. 

VI. It has been found that in families where economy is 
necessary, there is a tendency to eat too much sugar and 
too little fat. Allow at least from 3 to 4 lbs. of fat per 
week for every five members of the family and not over 
4 lbs. of sugar. 

VII. Water is an important item in the diet. Both children 
and adults should drink plenty of it, especially between 
meals. 

VIII. Tea, coffee, beer or wine should never be given to children. 
Fried foods, except bacon, should never be given to chil- 
dren. 

IX. A child should never be allowed to go to school without a 
good breakfast. 



14 



X. Every child should have a good luncheon with a hot dish 
in it — either a soup, hot cocoa, or a hot vegetable dish. 

XI. Only foods of mild flavor should be allowed between meals 
such as bread and butter, or bread and milk, or crackers 
and milk. Such mid-morning or mid-afternoon lunches 
should be given only when the regular meals are 5 or 6 
hours apart. The lunches should then be given regularly, 
and at least 3 hours before the next meal. 

XII. Candy, ice-cream and other sweets should not be eaten 
between meals, especially just before a meal. 

XIII. Regularity of meals is important. Have the meals at the 
same time every day. 

XIV. Prevent constipation. Coarse breads (graham and whole 
wheat), fruits, and vegetables will usually take care of 
this. 

XV. Allow enough time for meals so that food may be chewed 
well. Mealtime should be a resting period for children. 
Mealtime should be a cheerful hour. 



Committee on Economic Standards 
Lucy H. Gillett, Chairman 

SUB-DIVISION NO. I— An Adequate Minimum Food Allow- 
ance. 
Miss Etta Sadow, United Hebrew Charities, Chairman. 
Miss Lucy H. Gillett, Association for Improving the Condi- 
tion of the Poor. 
Mrs. Charlotte Lamond, Charity Organization Society. 
Miss Mary Reid, Brooklyn Bureau of Charities. 

SUB-DIVISION NO. II— Pointers for the Social Worker. 

Miss Grace MacLeod, Teachers' College, Chairman. 

Mrs. Gertrude Gates Mudge, N. Y. County Chapter, Ameri- 
can Red Cross. 

Miss Reba Reed, Association for Improving the Condition 
of the Poor. 



15 



A LIST OF HELPFUL REFERENCES 

1. Physical Growth of School Children. University of Iowa, 

Extension Bulletin, No. 59, 1919. 12 pp. 

2. Dublin, Louis I. Height and Weight Standards in Nutri- 

tion Work among Children of Foreign Parentage. Hos- 
pital Social Service, June, 1921, pp. 419-422. 

3. Roberts, Lydia. What is Mal-nutrition? U. S. Children's 

Bureau, Bulletin No. 39. 20 pp. 

4. Raymond, Anne. How to Make Health Teaching Attrac- 

tive to the School Child. The Public Health Nurse, 
August, 1920. pp. 655-660. Also Bulletin from Na- 
tional Organization for Public Health Nursing. 

5. Rimer, E. S. Organization of Nutrition Classes, Hospital 

Social Service. June, 1921. pp. 460-465. 

6. Rose, Mary S. Feeding the Family. Macmillan Com- 

pany. 449 pp. 

7. Rose, Mary S. Recent Developments in Child Feeding. 

Teachers College Bulletin. 

8. Gilletl , Lucy H. Diet for the School Child. U.S. Bureau of 

Education, Health Education Series, No. 2, 1922. 14 pp. 

9. Hunt, Caroline L. A Week's Food for an Average Family. 

U. S. Dept. of Agriculture Farmer's Bulletin, No. 1228. 

10. U. S. Dept. Agriculture. Food for Young Children. Far- 

mer's Bulletin, No. 717, 1921. 26 pp. 

11. U. S. Children's Bureau. Milk the Indispensable Food for 

Children. Pub. 35, 1918. 32 pp. 

12. West, Mrs. Max. Child Care. The Pre-School Age. 

U. S. Dept. Labor, Children's Bureau, Pub. No. 30. 

13. West, Mrs. Max. Infant Care. U. S. Dept. Labor, 

Children's Bureau. Pub. No. 8. 

14. Winslow, Emma A. Food Values: How Foods Meet 

Body Needs. U. S. Dept. Agriculture, BulletiniNo. 
975. 



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